You and me were meant to be
by MissLogophile
Summary: A sudden rash wave of impulsiveness and frustration washed over her, and she stretched out her hand towards him as if in a dream. What would happen if she said those words? Three little words. How would he react? What would he say? Everything could change between them. Wasn't two years enough time that the two of them remained in the dark?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir. Credit for the cover image goes to the creator.

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

* * *

Marinette hummed happily to herself as she sketched out her latest design.

.

She was sitting on a random park bench near the Eiffel Tower. Having decided on the spur of the moment to find inspiration outdoors, she had set off after breakfast in search of a quiet area to work in. Wandering around the city had led her here, back to the iconic monument, and she simply sat and basked in the sun, and let inspiration overtake her.

It was 10 am on a bright, cheerful Saturday morning. The sun was warm, the breeze refreshing and delightful, and the view scenic, as always. Marinette was feeling more than usually happy, and it showed in her designs, more creative and flowing than usual.

.

.

Until, all of a sudden, she felt it.

The view before her eyes suddenly seemed to swim and blur, and her pencil slipped out of her grasp and clattered to the ground.

.

A metaphorical cloud seemed to have blotted out the sun. Marinette blinked her eyes, trying to focus on her paper again. It worked for a few minutes; but again, a moment later, she felt that half-drowsy, half-giddy feeling again.

She couldn't ignore it this time around. "Tikki!" She hissed discreetly, looking around nervously for any prying eyes. "It seems that I've not completely recovered from the fever. What do I do?" She bit her lip in consternation.

.

Tikki had been drowsily reposing inside her charge's purse, but she jolted awake at Marinette's panicked voice. "Oh dear!" She shook her head to clear the last vestiges of sleep away from her head. "That's why I insisted on your staying at home!" she tut-tutted reproachfully.

Marinette hung her head in shame. "Maman and Papa said the same thing. You were right, I should have rested for another day." She admitted.

"Anyway, do you think you can make it back home safely?" the concerned kwami asked.

Marinette bent her head low over her sketchbook, partly from a need to cover her mouth from unsuspecting people passing by, and partly because of the pain. "I don't know," she doodled distractedly. "My head has already started paining again, which isn't a good thing."

"I have an idea!" Tikki said suddenly, snapping her tiny fingers. "Why don't you transform somewhere and then go home? It'll be quicker, plus, the transformation will keep you protected for a while!"

.

Marinette paused her random scribbles as she considered her kwami's words. Transforming was the most obvious choice right now, but…. it wasn't exactly advisable to go jumping and swinging over rooftops while in that particular condition.

But there was no other choice, unless she considered walking home, which was a good fifteen minutes away. Would she be even able to make it? She didn't have any money on her, so taking the bus or the subway wasn't an option.

.

She darted away behind a large tree, looking furtively around for any movements. Once the coast was clear, she called out the familiar words. "Tikki, Spots On!" Only this time, there was no smile on her face as she transformed.

Her transformation gave her a temporary bit of relief, and she felt a bit glad that she had listened to Tikki.

Tentatively, she threw out her yo-yo, hooking it onto a projection of the nearest building. With a hesitancy that was rare for the confident heroine, she pulled the string and launched herself into the sky.

.

.

A few buildings later, she stopped, gasping for breath.

The few vehicles which were passing by on the street seemed to be emitting bizarre amounts of noise, and everything around her felt hot, blurry, and irritating.

The same sun which had been so warm earlier, now seemed scorching as it beat down on her, drenching her in sweat. Her head was pounding and she felt a bit dizzy.

She wasn't sure she could make it over another rooftop before collapsing.

Panting, she swung down into an alley, relishing in its coolness as she let her transformation fall away from her. Tikki immediately materialized in front of her, worry evident in her face. However, she suddenly darted away back to Marinette's purse without saying anything.

Marinette was about to question her sudden disappearance, when a voice from behind startled her.

.

"Marinette? What are you doing here?" A familiar voice asked.

* * *

Chat Noir had been enjoying his stroll through the city, propelling himself randomly with no specific destination in mind. Imagine his happiness as he happened to catch a glimpse of red in the distance, a clear sign that his lady love was up and about. He had followed her with the intention of catching up with her- (that pun was unintentional, okay)- only to be disappointed as she ducked down somewhere and he lost sight of her red visage.

He had gone to investigate the alley he had seen her disappear into, hoping that he would find her there, but instead, he was pleasantly surprised to see another dark-haired, blue-eyed girl.

.

.

Marinette.

Marinette turned around in fright, eyes darting upwards and landing on Chat Noir. The sudden momentum made her head spin.

The sunlight fell around the hero, illuminating his golden hair like a halo and slanting off his black figure.

Marinette couldn't help staring. In that moment, he looked so angelic, so handsome and brave and _cool._

 _Like a saviour._

He lowered himself down next to her, greeting suddenly vanishing from his lips as he took in her wan appearance.

She was clutching her sketchbook to her chest, breathing rather rapidly, as beads of sweat rolled off her face.

"Whoa! Marinette, are you okay?" he stepped closer to inspect her in concern.

.

Marinette had never been so happy to see anyone in her entire life. Okay, with the exception of Adrien- who wouldn't be happy to see _him_ anytime? _-_ but today, she was extremely grateful for her partner's presence.

"I'm just feeling a little bit under the weather," she said vaguely, as he looked at her worriedly, unsure of what to do. Abandoning all preamble, she got right to the point. "Could you take me home, please? You know where I live."

"Of course." Always the gentleman, Chat Noir was ever ready to help out someone in need. The thought made Marinette smile, inspite of her discomfort. He wrapped an arm around her back, then grabbed his baton before picking her up gently. "Hold on tight." With that, he launched them both into the sky.

Marinette closed her eyes, letting herself revel in the comfort and familiarity of his strong arms.

She felt safe.

.

.

All too soon, she felt him land somewhere, and she knew that their brief journey had come to an end. She opened her eyes slowly, a bit confused at the sudden feeling of reluctance which came over her when Chat Noir lowered her carefully to the ground.

"There you go." Chat Noir said, looking her up and down as if to search for any injuries. "Take care of yourself, okay?" he said, a hint of worry creeping into his voice.

"Thank you, Chat Noir," she smiled briefly, but gratefully, and descended into her room, after giving him a small wave goodbye.

Chat Noir turned away to go, but an idea suddenly struck him. Changing course, he headed towards the supermarket…..

.

Meanwhile Marinette, freshly showered and comfortably clothed, was curling into a contented ball on her bed. A hot bath, a bowl of her favourite soup and one scolding from her parents later, she began to feel better again.

"Chat Noir really saved the day, didn't he?" Tikki flew around excitedly.

"….That he did," Marinette smiled fondly, closing her eyes. "I was so relieved when he showed up, Tikki."

Tikki opened her mouth to reply, but whatever she had been about to say was cut off as a knock sounded from above. "Marinette? Can I come in?"

.

The reposing girl opened her eyes and glanced at Tikki questioningly. The small kwami winked at her charge knowingly, before flitting off to her hiding place. Giggling, Marinette stuck her tongue out at the retreating kwami, before adjusting her clothes and moving away from the hatch. "Yes, come in!" she called out.

The very superhero they had been conversing about dropped into her room, a large paper bag in tow. "Hey there, Princess! How are you feeling?"

"Much better, thanks." Choosing to ignore his address, Marinette shifted to make space for him on her bed, a diverting thought flitting unwittingly into her mind.

 _Speak of an angel and hear the rustle of her wings._

 _…_ _.Wait, what?_

"What are you doing here, Chat Noir?" she asked curiously instead, pushing away the errant train of thoughts from her mind. Her eyes lit up as they fell upon the bag he was clutching nervously. "Is- Is that for _me?"_ she asked in surprise.

"It most certainly is." he handed over the bag with a wink and a flourish, eliciting a little giggle from her at his antics. "Ta-da!" he exclaimed theatrically, beaming at the smile that brightened her face.

She peeked inside the bag, gasping in delight as she lifted out the contents. "Flowers? And a get-well card? And new sketchbooks? And," Marinette narrowed her eyes in amused disbelief, "Is that a _cat plushie?"_

"It is a cat plushie," Chat confirmed, bouncing up and down in his excitement. "Do you like it?" he asked nervously, rubbing the side of his neck.

"I love it. _All_ of it." Marinette hugged the black cat plushie to her chest, beaming up at him from behind her bangs. "Thank you so much, kitty. You didn't have to go to all these lengths for me."

Her smile, plus the way she said _kitty,_ lit a sudden fire in his heart and he hastened to quench it.

.

"You're welcome, Marinette," he answered her smile with one of his own rare, non-flirty ones and her eyes widened. "But you never did tell me what exactly happened to you?" he inquired curiously.

She darted her eyes away to the side, seeming very reluctant to answer that question. "Uhh, well, you see, it's nothing much, you know! A bedache, no, I mean, a _headache._ "

 _This is SO embarrassing! What do I tell him?_

"I don't think it's _nothing,"_ he replied, unconvinced. "And it looks like more than a headache. You seemed pretty unwell earlier." He tilted his head to the side, inquisitively, and she let out a sigh of resignation. _Ugh, those kitty eyes…._

"It's just- it was-is a feverkindof!" she blurted out, face bright red.

"What? Sorry, I didn't quite get you-"

"It's- err- just a fever," she cut in quickly. "A mild one!" she added as his eyes narrowed.

"You had a fever, and you went out instead of resting?" his voice was laced with disappointed disapproval.

"Yeah, well, my parents said the same thing, but I thought I was better, so…well….yeah." she grinned anxiously. "I'm better now! All thanks to you!"

He hummed, still not quite convinced. "I didn't know you were sick," he murmured almost to himself, eyes widening suddenly as he realized his blunder.

"Well, and how exactly would you know if I was sick or not?" she questioned him archly, raising an eyebrow.

"Hehe, it's just that you…err… don't seem the type to fall sick?" he finished lamely.

Marinette snorted. "What's with that?" she chuckled, "Illnesses affect everybody! Even Chloe," she started giggling more as thoughts of Chloe came to her mind, haughtily forbidding germs to enter _her_ body.

"What I meant is…. you're always so… energetic, and upbeat all the time?" He saw her looking at him curiously and suspiciously, so he tried to backpedal a bit. "That's how you came across to me, at least." He scratched the back of one cat ear a bit awkwardly.

Marinette smiled. "Well, you're right. I don't really fall sick all that often." In an undertone, she added to herself, "I can't afford to."

"And by the way, thanks for saving me," She said as an afterthought. "I don't know how would I have made it home if you hadn't been there."

"I was following Ladybug actually," Caught up in his musings about the spotted heroine, he missed the way she seemed to freeze momentarily. "But she disappeared before I could catch up to her. He paused, then a grin spread over his face. "Ha! _Cat-_ ch up to her! See what I did there?"

"Ha-ha, very funny," Marinette replied distractedly. _Gosh, I had no idea that Chat Noir saw me- well, Ladybug-me! I've got to be more careful. What if he happened to see me detransforming?_

Removing his baton, the hero checked the time, then glanced at Marinette. "I've got to get going, Marinette. My fath-family will miss me if I'm away too late."

If Marinette noticed his slip-up, she certainly didn't comment on it. "Alright."

She followed him out onto the balcony. Before he about to leap off, she placed her hand on his wrist, stopping him. "Chat Noir, thank you. For everything."

He paused and looked back, into her blue eyes. They were shining with gratitude and affection and something more meaningful. Suddenly unsure of what to say, he settled for a small, chaste kiss on her hand. "Anytime, Princess." He grinned then, running a hand through his hair. "Always glad to be your knight in shining armor."

Marinette smiled to herself. _My Chat, you're truly one in a million._

 _._

With a last two-fingered salute and a wink, he finally leapt away into the afternoon sunlight.

"Wow," Tikki commented, flitting up into the balcony as they both watched the black blur melt away into the distance. "Chat Noir is so sweet and thoughtful!"

Marinette hardly heard her. A thousand thoughts were buzzing around inside her head, but there was one that stood out from all the rest.

 _Since when did I start thinking of him as MY cat?_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

* * *

"Why do you love her so much?" The question, put forth by Marinette, seemed to hang in the night air between them.

.

.

After their previous encounter, Chat Noir had returned, a few days later, to check up on Marinette. They had got to talking about anything and everything, and hardly noticed the evening slipping by. Eventually, the topic drifted around to Ladybug.

"She's really amazing," Chat Noir said, reverently, after he had finished relating an incident to her, and Marinette coughed clumsily. Even after two years of being Ladybug, it still felt awkward when anyone complimented her alter-ego to her face. As though she was going around behind people's backs. Which she technically was, though not from motives of self-interest, at least.

.

Leaning on the balcony, Chat Noir was staring off dreamily into the distance, immersed, most probably, in thoughts of a certain lady.

He glanced down at Marinette when she spoke. She was looking down, away from him, and fidgeting with her jacket. "You mean, why do I love Ladybug?" he confirmed. _Huh. That question came out of nowhere._

She looked up at him then, blue eyes filled with some unnameable emotion. "Yes." Trailing off, her voice was hesitant when she spoke again. "What made you fall in love with her?" She darted her eyes away from his again, staring out at the Parisian streets blankly.

.

She knew she shouldn't be doing this. She shouldn't be fishing for information about her alter-ego while in her civilian form. But….

She just wanted to know what made her so attractive and desirable, in his eyes. Because in her opinion….. she wasn't anything special.

Chat Noir blushed a little, then averted his gaze. "Marinette," he began slowly, "No offense to you or anything, but….. I'd rather- I'd rather…"

He seemed reluctant to let the words out, so Marinette intervened. "You'd rather not say?" she finished quietly, curiously disappointed.

"Yes!" Chat Noir looked relieved. "I mean!" He hastened to assure her, panicked. "It's not that I don't trust you or anything, or that I don't want to tell you! I do, really! But, it's just…..I'd rather I told Ladybug first before anyone else."

 _You are telling her. I AM her!_

 _._

 _._

A sudden rash wave of impulsiveness and frustration washed over her, and she stretched out her hand towards him as if in a dream. What would happen if she said those words? Three little words. How would he react? What would he say?

Everything could change between them. Wasn't two years enough time that the two of them remained in the dark?

A hot, intense longing overtook her. To know and be known. To let all secrets, secret identities, and masks crumble away into nothingness.

Years of watching one's words, hiding one's true intentions, and concealment. It was easy, _so_ easy, to let go of all that. Just three words…. and everything would be out in the open…...

.

She almost said it.

 _Almost._

But-

As suddenly as the impulse came, it faded, and left behind the cold truth of reality.

.

She let her hand fall back onto the cold railing, turning back to the glittering view. "It's alright. I-I understand." _What am I doing?_ Gripping the railing hard, she bit her lips, as if afraid they would move without her consent.

He looked relieved, a stark contrast to her current feelings. "Thank you for understanding," he breathed, gratefully, and she merely nodded.

"Don't you have someone you love too?" his question, seemingly out of the blue, startled her momentarily.

 _Oh, wait. I was the one who started asking about crushes._

Letting out a sigh of affirmation, Marinette turned around and rested her back against the railing. "Yeah."

"Who is it? If you don't mind me asking." He was looking at her. Gently, curiously.

She didn't know how to reply to that. Her own arguments about secret identities rose forcefully in her mind, and she exhaled rather forcefully.

 _One little detail won't hurt._

"It's….. Adrien Agreste."

When he remained silent, she glanced up reluctantly into his face.

.

To say Chat Noir was surprised was an understatement. He looked surprised, shocked, and disbelieving. His eyes were blown wide and a small blush tinted his cheeks.

She bristled. "Is something wrong?" she said tersely.

"NO! No, it's… there's nothing wrong," he said a little forcefully. "I just…. I never….. I never imagined that….. I didn't know," he finished, rather lamely.

Marinette rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "I don't exactly go around broadcasting that fact on a daily basis." She raised an eyebrow, pointedly.

He ran a hand through his hair sheepishly. "Touché."

"Although… the way I act around him…. It's pretty obvious to almost everyone. Except him." She sighed, half-bitterly.

"Wow, he must be…. really dense." The black-clad superhero breathed.

"So all the posters…. It was because of that?" he said softly, almost to himself.

"EEP!" Marinette squeaked out, thoroughly embarrassed. "Chat Noir! You absolutely cannot, CANNOT tell him!" she grabbed his shoulders, pleadingly, boring a hole into him with her eyes.

 _Well, I already know anyway….._

"I won't!" he promised, holding up his right hand in a placating gesture. "Cat's honour!"

She let go of him, chuckling nervously. "Okay."

"I guess…you wouldn't want to tell me why you love him either?"

"No, you're right." She paused.

"Some things are better left….. unsaid."

.

The moon had already risen high into the sky, and Chat Noir suddenly realized that they had been out for too long when he saw Marinette shiver.

"I better get going."

"Okay."

.

After an awkward moment of silence, he extended his baton, leaping onto the railing.

"See you around," Marinette offered.

"You too. It was nice talking to you."

.

Marinette sighed, watching his black figure disappear in between the rooftops for the second time that week.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

* * *

"Hey there Milady! What is it this time?" Landing expertly next to her, Chat Noir peered down cautiously into the foray below.

.

"She's calling herself Allura and is blasting people with heart-shaped gold arrows." His partner replied, mind already on the task of figuring out ways to defeat their current adversary.

"And let me guess, they turn into her minions?" The cat superhero asked with a grimace. Better not get into her way then. He did not have a favourable history of being mind-controlled.

"Seems like it. Let's go!" Ladybug spoke over the noise and action, readying her yo-yo.

.

.

The two of them dived headfirst into the scene of action, the evening sun slanting off their magic suits. An akuma attack right after school wasn't exactly Marinette's preferred form of recreation, but they were heroes and their responsibility remained.

Allura, as the akumatized person was calling herself, was outfitted in a white dress with gold overtones. She seemed to want everyone to bow to her orders and be the one in control, as she put it, 'I will be the most desirable one in Paris."

Ladybug nodded towards her partner, who nodded back. He ran in front of the akuma, distracting her, as was their usual routine, while the spotted heroine swung up on the low roof of a nearby building to try and get a closer look at the akuma.

 _Now, where could the akuma be? The bow and arrows were the most likely contender, but what about that gold bow in her hair?_

Suddenly, while Ladybug was still puzzling it out, Hawkmoth's signature purple mask appeared over the akuma's face. Before either of the superheroes could react, she reached up to fire an arrow.

.

A _red_ one.

.

Chat Noir paused, tensely, baton at the ready, waiting to deflect the expected onslaught.

Ladybug's hand reached for her yo-yo, ready to jump back into the battle and pry the bow and arrows away from Charmer.

In a move neither of them anticipated, Charmer changed course at the last millisecond and fired the red arrow…..

Straight towards Ladybug.

.

.

"NOOO! Ladybug watch OUT!" Chat Noir's terrified voice screamed out as the arrow shot towards her. She turned, rapidly, meaning to duck, but it all happened in a blur. The arrow hit her, between her shoulder blades, and a weird, burning sensation shot through her, as she slumped down onto the roof in pain.

Vaguely, she registered the blurry sounds around her; Chat Noir holding her in his arms, calling her name; the _clang_ of his baton as it fell, forgotten, to the floor; and the akuma laughing sinisterly in the background.

.

"Seduce him properly for me, Ladybug! Or should I say _Lovebug."_ Cackling evilly, the akuma disappeared, no doubt to find the person who had caused her to become akumatized.

.

Then everything went black.

Chat Noir shook her desperately, trying to get her to wake up. "My lady, please," he begged, akuma and everything forgotten. Nothing else mattered in that moment. "You can't- you can't leave me like this."

.

 _I can't lose you. Not you too._

* * *

The surroundings, so noisy before, were eerily silent as he frantically bent over her limp form, pressing a shaky hand to her chest. She was breathing, at least, but he didn't know how long that would last. After all, the akuma had shot her with a red arrow, not a gold one. That didn't seem to bode well.

"Okay, Chat Noir, focus," he breathed in and out a few times, passing a trembling hand through his sweaty hair. "She's not d…. She's alive. _She's alive._ Just calm down."

A thought flitted into his distraught mind and he sat up. _Of course. Master Fu. He would know what to do._

He stiffened suddenly as his ears picked up a small sigh. With a hopeful glance, he touched her face, eagerly watching for the slightest movement.

.

After what seemed like an eternity, but in actuality was only a few moments, Ladybug's eyelids fluttered a few times, and she opened her eyes.

Chat Noir lunged forward immediately, pulling her in a fierce hug. "You're alright! Ladybug. My love, you're _alright!_ "

He couldn't help it, that term of endearment that escaped him. She was in his arms and she was alright and he was so relieved that tears stung his eyes.

 _She's okay. She's okay. She's okay._

He pulled away suddenly, concern building when she remained silent. "Ladybug? Are you-"

.

Gasping, he let go of her and stumbled backwards in shock. For, in place of those cerulean blue eyes which he had always adored, glancing at him with a strange emotion now were bright pink ones.

 _Ladybug had been mind-controlled!_

He scrambled backwards, reaching for his baton. _Oh no. No, no, no. This is bad._

 _._

"Chat _Noir,_ " Ladybug finally spoke and he froze in surprise at her sultry tone. "Did I ever tell you how _hot_ you are?" she purred seductively.

 _Whaaaaaaaaaaat?!_

She sashayed over to him, hips swinging and all he could do was _stare_ , his mind screaming _get away from her_ all the while. But she was still Ladybug and she had just said he was _hot._

Heat spread all over him, from his cheeks to his stomach. The air escaped from his throat, leaving him breathless.

And then a cold feeling of dread washed over him as Allura's voice suddenly resounded in his head.

 _"_ _Seduce him properly for me, Ladybug! Or should I say_ _ **Lovebug.**_ _"_

 _._

"Ladybug. Stop. This isn't you. Snap out of it," he tried weakly. The prospect of being sedu- err, _romanced-_ by Ladybug was an attractive one. A _very_ attractive one. But this wasn't her. And, hurt as it might, she would never say those words, not in her right senses.

"I'm not Ladybug, I'm _Lovebug,_ " _Gosh, when did she learn to speak like that? Did she even know what that did to his insides?_

She pressed closer to him, and belatedly, he realized that he had nowhere to go. "Chat Noir, haven't you _always_ wanted me to say it? Those _three little words?"_ she walked her hands up his chest and his mouth felt suddenly dry.

Yes, YES, he had always wanted to hear those words from her mouth. How many times had he dreamed about it? Longed for it? Fantasized about it?

Her confessing her love for him and then the sweet kiss that followed, almost invariably, in all of his dreams.

.

 _Say it,_ his heart screamed. _Say those words which I've always wanted to hear._

His mind screamed at him to snap of the trance she had seemed to put him in. It wasn't real. It wasn't _real._

 _._

 _._

….But how he wished it _was._

As he struggled with his internal conflicts, Ladybug-or rather Lovebug- took advantage of his momentary distraction and stretched out her hand towards his ring.

But when he felt her fingers brush against his miraculous, reality suddenly hit him like a ton of bricks.

He grabbed her hand and pushed it away, quickly extending his baton and leaping onto the next building.

"Chat Noir, wait!" Lovebug had thrown out her yo-yo and was following him in hot pursuit. "Come back here, kitty, kitty!" she purred.

His heart clenched painfully, but he forced himself to keep going, somewhere, anywhere.

Glancing back after a moment to take stock of her position, he stopped when he saw her.

.

She had stopped chasing him and was perched atop a lamp-post, staring intensely at a billboard, an unreadable expression on her face. A billboard of him, he realized. Adrien-him. The latest modelling gig he had done only a few days back.

Taking advantage of her distraction, he jumped down into an alley and hid behind a dumpster, releasing his transformation. "Plagg, Claws In."

She was looking for Chat Noir, not Adrien, so he was safe. For now.

* * *

He waited till he saw Lovebug jumping away, still calling out for his alter-ego, then whispered to his kwami. "Plagg, what do I do now? Ladybug's been mind controlled and I have absolutely no idea how to snap her out of it."

.

"You could try releasing the akuma," Plagg said slowly, his green eyes serious for once as he assessed the rather dire situation they were in. "But that will be a long and difficult process, and with both Ladybug and the akumatized person against you, your chances of succeeding are slim."

"What else can I do?" Adrien was not looking forward to try and capture akumas without his partner.

"There is one way," Plagg said, slowly, reluctantly, as if he was unwilling to share it.

"Tell me then! What is it?" Adrien asked impatiently.

.

"You could kiss her." A blush stole over Adrien's cheeks as Plagg continued rather distastefully. Romance was not his genre. "She's being mind-controlled by a love spell. True love's kiss, and all that mushy stuff. But I'm not sure if it will work." He warned.

"Even if I try to do that," Adrien rationalized, trying to ignore the heat creeping up into his cheeks, "How am I going to get close without her taking my miraculous?"

"You could kiss her…." Plagg paused. Conflict and uncertainty was written all over his face.

"As Adrien."

.

.

"As _Adrien?"_ Adrien didn't even care that he was talking about himself in the third person, he was so confused right then. "But why? What good will that do? I mean, I get that it will be safer to do so, but….. why? I don't think that will even work!" he protested.

He was Adrien, so whether he was transformed or not, he still loved her. But there was an irrational part of him that just wanted her to love him for being _Chat._ _If_ she even had any feelings towards _any_ of his forms.

.

"Listen, kid," Plagg looked desperately around, as if the walls could give him some inspiration on what to say without giving away too much. "I don't _know_ , okay? But if you want to save Ladybug _and_ Paris, you have to do as I say and _try_." He gulped, the images of Dark Owl a few months back resurfacing in his head with a vengeance.

.

Plagg sometimes wished he could put an end to all of this stupid secrecy and just _tell_ the kid everything. It was incredibly frustrating sometimes, to hold back what he knew. Rules were something he never really cared for anyway; but apparently, Master Fu and Tikki did.

Adrien frowned. Plagg seemed to be hiding something, but he really didn't have the time to argue or reason with him. "Alright, I guess. But you'd better tell me later what you're hiding. Plagg, Claws Out!"

"Wait- no, don't transfoooooooooorm….." Plagg's panicked cries were cut off as he was sucked into the ring.

* * *

 _It's fine,_ Chat thought to himself as he began scouring the rooftops for his partner. _I just have to find her, detransform, and kiss her. Then everything will be back to normal._

Too bad things never seemed to go according to plan.

Out of nowhere, a yo-yo suddenly wrapped itself around his arms, and his baton clattered to the floor uselessly.

He could almost hear Plagg facepalming and yelling _I told you so!_

 _._

 _._

" _There_ you are," Ladybug-Lovebug smirked, pulling her yo-yo so that he spun around to face her. "You've been a bad kitty," she walked around him slowly, his eyes following her all the while in silent consternation. "Whatever shall I do to punish you?" she pretended to think, then suddenly snapped her fingers. "Oh, I know. _Take your miraculous."_

 _._

Chat Noir felt a cold sweat running down his back. _What do I do? Think, Noir, think!_

He could try to cataclysm her yo-yo. But….. if he did that, how would she purify the akumas? Or perform the Miraculous Ladybug cleanse? Would cataclysm even work on it?

As these desperate thoughts pounded in his head, she stepped closer, reaching for his right hand, and he struggled in vain, trying to free himself.

He closed his eyes, feeling a hot rush of mingled fear and despair. _Goodbye, Plagg._

 _._

He felt her sliding the ring off his finger, and the tingly _swoosh_ as his transformation was ripped away from him.

Then suddenly, there was a _clink_ as something dropped to the floor, followed by a _Watch it, lady!_ and a horrified gasp.

"Adrien?!"

.

Opening his eyes finally, he was confronted with the sight of Ladybug covering her mouth with her hands, staring at him in shock and disbelief.

"You're…..you're Chat Noir?!" she mumbled.

"Umm…..hi?" Adrien tried. When she didn't respond, but continued to stare at him, he wriggled his fingers. "Could you let go of me? It's rather uncomfortable."

She released him almost mechanically, her yo-yo zipping back towards her hand.

.

Adrien approached her slowly, as if any sudden movement would scare her off, and placed a hand on her shoulder. Now was his chance.

Gently, he lifted his hand, brushing away her fringe from her face, tracing the edges of her mask. She started and blushed, staring up at him in shy wonder. "I just wanted you to know," he whispered as her eyes fluttered towards his, "How much I love you."

Ignoring her gasp, he leaned in and captured her lips with his.

.

.

He poured out all his emotions into his kiss. The shock of nearly losing her, the pain and frustration of his unrequited love. All the love he had ever felt for her.

After a few seconds, she tentatively responded, moving her lips against his, and his heart felt like it had grown wings.

They pulled away, breathless and blushing, and Adrien watched her, torn with longing and despair.

She would forget all of this, as soon as she came back to her senses. If only he could prolong this moment, rewind it a thousand times.

" _Adrien_ ," she gasped out, evidently struggling to recall something. "I-I love you too!"

His heart felt like it had stopped and he stared at her in shock and wonder.

Before he could question what she meant, the pink in her eyes faded away and her normal, baby-blues were back.

.

 _It worked. I should be glad, but….._

* * *

Ladybug, now back to her normal self, blinked her eyes, looking confused. "Adrien?" she said his real name for the second time that day and his heart lurched. "What are you doing here? What's going on?" she looked all around, trying to gain a sense of bearing from the surroundings.

"You don't remember anything?" he asked, disappointed even though he _knew_ that that would happen.

"No, I- There was an akuma!" she gasped, looking around frantically. "Where's Chat Noir? We have to stop her!" She stared at him questioningly.

"The akuma went that way," Adrien offered dully. A wave of sudden exhaustion and tiredness washed over him. "And Chat Noir, I think I saw him go after her." He lied.

"Okay, thank you!" she turned away to go, then suddenly paused and looked back, a small blush tinting her cheeks. "Stay safe, okay?"

He could only nod as he watched her yo-yo away, determination blazing in her eyes.

.

Plagg flew up to him, holding out his ring for him to take. For once, the usually snarky kwami was silent, looking at his holder sympathetically.

Adrien rubbed a hand over his eyes. Now was not the time to be upset.

"Come on, Plagg," he muttered as he replaced the ring on his finger and called for his transformation. "We've got a city to save."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

* * *

Marinette lay on her bed, staring blankly at the ceiling of her room.

.

.

Only an hour back, she had defeated the akuma with Chat Noir's help. But it seemed to have happened years and years ago.

.

The events of earlier were rather jumbled and unclear in her mind. She remembered being hit by one of Allura's arrows and then fainting, but other than that, she had absolutely no memory of anything. Chat Noir had told her, quite tersely, that she had been mind-controlled and Adrien had saved her. Other than that, he had stubbornly refused to elaborate.

 _Go and ask him yourself,_ he had said, uncharacteristically reticent for once.

.

….Was he upset because another boy had rescued her?

A blush tinted her cheeks as she thought of Adrien, standing there on the roof before her.

 _He saved me. But how? And what was he doing there in the first place? Where was Chat Noir? Why didn't **he** try to save me? Where was the akuma at that time?!_

* * *

"Tikki, I'm so confused. No matter how hard I try to remember what happened, my mind just remains… blank. It's so weird. As if someone erased that part of my memories." She massaged her forehead, all that thinking giving her a headache.

"Well," Tikki replied, "this is the first time you have been mind-controlled, after all." She said commiseratingly.

.

She flipped over to the other side, absentmindedly tracing patterns on her comforter. "Is this how Chat Noir has felt whenever he's been under an akuma's influence? All this time? Is this how _akuma_ victims feel?"

A wave of sympathy washed over her. Having powers of destruction and bad luck, her partner often landed the short end of the stick most of the times.

.

"You _have_ to be more careful, Marinette," Tikki admonished her charge. "Adrien managed to save you, this time, but what if he's not around? You can't let your guard down, not even for a single moment!"

"I know, I know Tikki, but- I really wonder how Adrien saved me."

She looked at Tikki inquiringly, who shrugged helplessly. "Why not ask him?"

"But if I call him as Marinette and ask, 'Hey, I heard you saved Ladybug today and I was just wondering how you did it,' that'll be totally suspicious!"

"Then _don't_ talk to him as Marinette." Tikki said meaningfully.

Marinette's eyes widened. "Of course! Thanks Tikki!"

"But you can't go to his house!" Tikki said, alarmed. "There are too many cameras there! You'll surely be noticed, sneaking into his room!"

"I'll be careful," Marinette promised, although the kwami still remained uneasy.

.

A second later, she was transformed and swinging towards the Agreste Mansion.

* * *

"Kid, come on! You've been moping around all evening!" Plagg complained, poking the blond model harshly.

"OW! Would you stop that?! And in case you don't remember, a lot of things happened today okay? I'm still trying to wrap my head around all of it."

.

.

Adrien lay there in the dark, trying to process everything.

One moment he would be squealing in happiness and excitement because _I kissed Ladybug, and it was AMAZING._ Then the next, dismay because she didn't remember at all what had happened.

.

She had seen his identity, only to forget it a second later. Adrien didn't know whether to be glad or dismayed at that.

Then there was also Plagg's weird behaviour and the fact that Ladybug had told him, _Adrien-_ him, that she loved him.

.

"I don't know what's going on anymore." he ran a hand through his hair, frustrated and confused.

 _In hindsight,_ he brooded, _it was rather selfish of me to not tell her anything. And I told her to go visit Adrien. Ughh. As if she would do that._

"Kid." Plagg said softly, darting away under the bed. "You've got a visitor."

.

A tap sounded on the window before Adrien could ask Plagg what he meant.

His eyes widened. Ladybug was knocking on his window?! So she really decided to come question him?

.

He ran to the window and opened it, breathless at this strange but exciting development. "Ladybug! Please come in!"

"Thank you, it's rather cold outside," the spotted heroine said casually, dropping onto the floor with practiced ease. Outwardly, she appeared calm as usual, but her heart was beating a mile a minute. She was in _Adrien's_ room. At night. In the dark. And he was wearing _pajamas._

 _._

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Adrien asked shyly, feigning ignorance and gesturing her towards the couch.

Once she seated herself, he sat down a little distance away from her, stealing shy sideways glances.

"I'm sorry for disturbing you so late," Ladybug began, trying to collect her thoughts together. When he dismissed her apologies, she continued, drawing in a deep breath. "It's just that… Chat Noir told me you saved me earlier today? During the akuma attack?" she looked at him inquiringly and he had to remind himself to breathe. Those blue, _blue_ eyes… eyes which had looked at him with so much love earlier…..

He cleared his throat. "Oh. That. Yeah, well, you were being mind-controlled or something, so I-so Chat Noir told me to err, save you." Adrien repeated, looking away awkwardly.

 _That was a plausible enough reason, right?_

 _._

"Oh. Umm, well, I was wondering, you know, like, err, how exactly did you do that? Save me, I mean." Her voice was rather high-pitched.

"I-I" Adrien looked into her eyes right then, intensely and she had to remind herself to stay on track. _Stay focused, Ladybug._ "I kissed you." he blurted out, blushing furiously.

Ladybug's mouth fell open. _"What?!"_ she screeched.

 _The love of my life kissed me and I didn't even know!?_

Adrien looked alarmed. "I'm really, really sorry, Ladybug! It's just… it was a love akuma so I thought….."

 _I knew that wasn't a great idea! She's going to hate me now, even Adrien-me!_

"No, no, it's alright, I- I understand!" Ladybug's cheeks were as red as her suit as she attempted to control herself. "You saved me, so I should be thanking you. It's all good. Really."

.

After a tense, stressful silence, Ladybug spoke again, curiosity evident in her voice this time. "But what were you doing up there on the rooftop?"

"Uhh-" Adrien tried desperately to think of a good excuse. "I was hiding? From the akuma?" he offered weakly.

Ladybug looked at him strangely but decided to let it go.

.

"Ladybug," it was his turn to break the silence and she looked at him, waiting for him to continue. "After I- uhh- kissed you," both their faces were aflame- "You told me- you said you loved me."

.

.

Ladybug froze in horror.

 _Of all the things I could have said, I said THAT?! What is wrong with me?! I just can't catch a break!_

She stared at him, blankly, as he tentatively reached out for her hand and enclosed it in his own. "Ladybug?"

She jerked back to reality, suddenly noticing her hand in his. "Ohh, I-I-" a blush crept up her cheeks.

"Ladybug, you know, I've always loved you." As if sensing her internal conflicts, Adrien decided to put things in perspective for her. "I've never loved anyone but you, since the day we- since the day I saw you."

"No." Ladybug interrupted him suddenly. Shaking her head vigorously, she felt her heart shattering into a million pieces as tears threatened to sting her eyes. _He loves the wrong side of me. He loves my mask._ "How can you say that? You don't know me. How can you say you love me?" she pulled her hand away from his.

.

Another green-eyed, blond-haired boy swam into her thoughts and she blanched.

 _Poor Chat Noir. How must he have felt when he saw Adrien kiss me._

"Ladybug, listen. I-" Adrien tried to explain.

"I'm sorry, Adrien, but I have to go." She cut in, already moving towards the window.

"But-"

" _Please,_ " her eyes were sorrowful and he felt his own heart clench painfully.

"Please, we can't do this. Not when he's- not like this."

.

She leapt up onto the window and soared away without a backward glance.

"I have to talk to Chat Noir."

And then she was gone.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

* * *

Adrien swore under his breath. He just _had_ to go and open his big mouth and confess his love entirely out of the blue. Now she thought that he was an obsessive fanboy. Which he was, but not in a creepy way at all. Right?

"Or a creepy stalker," Plagg added unhelpfully and Adrien realized that he had been speaking aloud.

"I have to talk to her and explain everything. Let's go, Plagg!"

.

.

One transformation sequence later, he burst through the windows of his room and set out in pursuit of his lady. Opening up his baton, he checked her location.

 _Good thing we can track each other while we're in the suits,_ he thought as he gained his bearings and started following the direction his lady had gone.

.

She was heading towards the Dupain-Cheng bakery, he realized. Memories of Marinette suddenly arose in his mind and he smiled inspite of himself. _I really had fun talking to her those times when I visited her. Maybe I should head there once in a while, just to have a chat._

He finally saw Ladybug. She was running as if a hundred akumas were after her, and with a jolt of shock, he realized that she was upset, very upset. How many times had he done the same thing while transformed? Ran as if his life depended on it, just to distract his mind from the relentless thoughts plaguing him.

.

She alighted onto Marinette's balcony just as he yelled out to her. "Ladybug!"

She started in shock and turned around, her features contorted in fright.

When her eyes landed upon him, she let out a breath of relief. "Chat Noir, you scared me."

* * *

The two stared at each other awkwardly across the street, both trying to gauge the other's emotions.

Finally, Ladybug extended her yo-yo and landed back onto the rooftop next to him. "Chat, we need to talk." She said seriously, not meeting his eyes.

He gulped, prepared to hear her rant about his civilian self's idiocy.

.

.

"I'm sorry."

"What?" Chat stared at her, confused and incredulous. "What for?"

 _I'm the one who should be sorry!_

"It's just…." Drawing away from him, she swiped at her cheeks, heaving deep breaths to try and calm down. "I hurt you, that's why!"

"How?" he was genuinely puzzled right then.

"Be-because," she shifted on the heels of her feet, still refusing to meet his eyes. "I kissed Adrien in front of you." she whispered.

Oh.

 _Oh!_

"Uhh," he wracked his mind, trying to think of an appropriate response. _Should I act angry? Heartbroken?_

 _._

"It's okay, Bugaboo," he said finally. Because what else could he say? _I'm Adrien actually, and I was the one kissing you all along, so I don't mind at all!_

No, _that_ would not end well.

"But-but-" she protested, clearly not believing him.

"It really is okay, milady." He drew closer to her, gently wiping away whatever tears remained on her cheeks with the back of his gloved hand. "He saved you, and I'm grateful for that."

A look of grateful affection came into her eyes. "You're wonderful," she murmured reverently and he felt guilt rise up inside him. "You really do love me." she whispered, leaning her head against his chest.

.

She thought of all the times he had saved her, protected her, thrown himself in harm's way for her. Even when she was Marinette, he remained the same; kind, thoughtful and caring.

.

He froze. "How-how did you know?" he squeaked out.

"Know what?"

"That I- that I love you!" he said a little timidly.

A small mirthless laugh. "You aren't exactly subtle, kitty."

.

He chuckled then, wrapping his arms around her and resting his chin on her hair. "True. You know me so well."

After a moment, she spoke up. "And you know me. Unlike some people," she said tersely, pulling away from him and he winced. She was talking about _him._

"I went to talk to Adrien today-" yup, _definitely_ talking about him- "and he said he loved me." Her voice faltered, and she looked at him before reluctantly continuing. "It hurt," she wrapped her arms around herself, as if to protect herself from the unpleasant memory. "It hurt, because I've loved him so much, all this while, but he fell in love with my mask." She concluded bitterly, missing the way Chat Noir's mouth fell open in shock.

 _WHATTTTTTTTTTT?!_

"You love him?" he all but screeched, and the spotted heroine glanced at him sadly. "Yes. I still do." She confessed and Chat Noir felt like someone had ripped a hole in his head and removed his brain because he did _not_ understand what was going on.

"Uhh….. Chat Noir? Are you okay?" she timidly asked and he gulped.

 _Forgive me for what I'm about to do, my Lady. But it's now or never._

 _._

 _._

"Plagg, Claws in."

* * *

"Chat!" Adrien opened his eyes to see his partner turned away from him, eyes scrunched up tight and gloved hands covering them. "What are you _doing?"_

Plagg mirrored her question with an incredulous look of his own. "What are you up to?" he hissed.

.

"My Lady," Adrien gulped, trying to retain some of his alter-ego's suaveness while swatting Plagg away. "A lot of things happened today, during the akuma attack, and if you just open your eyes and look at me, you'll understand everything."

"What?" she sounded bewildered and honestly, Adrien didn't blame her. "How is revealing your identity the solution to all- to all of _this?"_

"It is." he continued, trying to convince her. "When Allura hit you, you started acting all- _seductive._ She let out an embarrassed squeak of horror, ears turning red. "You tried to take my miraculous, and-and- you succeeded."

"WHAT!" the spotted heroine turned full towards him, eyes still shut stubbornly. "But how- I mean- what-"

"And then when you saw my civilian self-" -a louder gasp at that- "-you just froze, so I- I kissed you. To break the spell."

He watched her closely, almost seeing the gears turning around in her head, when she suddenly tore her hands away from her eyes.

.

" _Adrien!?"_ she almost screeched as she discovered his identity for the second time that day. " You're _Chat Noir?!"_

"The one and only," Adrien affirmed as he bowed a little.

"Omigosh." Ladybug grabbed at her ponytails, staring blankly out at the streets. "I can't even."

"Are you…. alright?" It was Adrien's turn to ask timidly.

.

"I… don't know. Listen, Adrien-Chat- I think I should go. I really need time to process all of this." She removed her yo-yo, preparing to launch herself off the roof.

"Wait!" When she halted, turning her blue eyes on him questioningly, Adrien floundered. "Um…. err…. goodnight?" he offered weakly.

She smiled then, even though it was a brief one, and the action relieved him a little. "Goodnight, Adrien."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

* * *

"I still can't believe it's him." Marinette's thoughts returned to the same theme they had been revolving around for the past few days. It was like an endless cycle of loop and repeat, loop and repeat, loop and repeat.

.

.

No matter how many times the distracted girl tried to turn her thoughts towards other channels, they inevitably found their way back to the last week's events.

She stared at the blond-haired boy in front of her, trying to reconcile the two important people in her life into one person, as Madame Mendeliev droned on.

It was hard, but slowly, surely, she was getting there.

.

It was easy to see what things they had in common. Their kindness, generosity, and willingness to help others. And looks, of course, but in hindsight, that had been rather obvious, now that she knew.

But the other characteristics? Not so much.

 _Adrien and Chat Noir are like….. polar opposites,_ she mused. Black and white, sun and rain, dark and light.

 _But then again, so are Ladybug and I. Not to such an extent of course, but…_

 _._

She got the picture. And while she really couldn't fathom why the two of them- why _he_ acted so differently (she really had to stop thinking of them-him! as two different people) -on both sides of the mask, she was trying to sort out her feelings.

* * *

Back at home after school, she abandoned her homework in favour of dwelling on that recurring topic. Physics was not her strong suit anyway.

"How do you feel about this situation? About your crush and your partner being one and the same?" Tikki had asked her, that fateful day, but she hadn't been able to answer then. But now….

.

She had loved Adrien. Obsessively, completely, with all her heart. Seeing his true self…..it was like her eyes had been opened. With a start, the secret superheroine realized that she still loved him- equally as madly as before- but with something else. It was hard to explain, but before, prior to all this identity crisis, her love now seemed… superficial. Even though she had loved him for his kindness, and not his looks, she still hadn't been able to see the side of him that mattered most.

She felt a twinge of hurt twist her heart. _Was I really so blinded by my crush that I overlooked everything else?_

 _._

Her distress must have shown on her face, because Tikki intervened at that moment as if guessing her thoughts. "Marinette, I know what you're thinking, and I can tell you it's not your fault."

"But how could I have loved him and not known him?" she said in a small, insecure voice.

"It's the same thing for him, Marinette. He fell in love with your 'mask' too."

.

Marinette started. She had forgotten to consider that aspect! "He loves me!" She squealed in joyful realization, jumping up and down in excitement. "Ladybug-me." Her excitement vanishing instantly as she came to that sudden conclusion.

"See?" Tikki said patiently. "Both of you put each other on a pedestal, only seeing what you wanted to see, the 'perfect' side of each other. That was partly also, the glamour magic of the Miraculous, in order to protect your identity."

"But," she added as Marinette looked dismayed and crestfallen, "Weren't there times when Chat Noir let his true self shine through? Take the day when you had a fever, for instance. Wasn't he concerned and thoughtful? As you know he is, now that his true identity is known?"

"Yeah," Marinette perked up at that. "I knew Chat Noir was a kind person, and now it's been confirmed."

.

"So what can you conclude from that?" Tikki elaborated, warming up to the topic. "That the basic, core part of his personality doesn't change, no matter whether he's Adrien or Chat Noir. The same goes for you. Now, it all depends on how you take it from here." Tikki finished, quite exhausted with her efforts to make Marinette see her perspective.

.

"How I take it from here, huh," Marinette murmured. A smile lit up her face. "Thank you, Tikki. You're the best, you know that?" She paused and regarded her kwami with a smirk. "How long have you thought about all this?"

"Ever since that Dark Owl incident," Tikki replied promptly.

.

Marinette's eyes widened, then she smacked her forehead. "Of course! I can't believe I forgot about that!"

"Sometimes, Marinette, I think you would forget your own head if it weren't attached to your neck," Tikki began jokingly, then quickly dodged as Marinette threw a pillow her way.

The little kwami just laughed and hugged her charge affectionately. "Some cookies would be appreciated, you know," she said slyly, and it was Marinette's turn to laugh as she promised her her favourite chocolate chip ones.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

* * *

Walking on the sidewalk, humming a cheerful tone, Adrien Agreste felt at peace with the world.

.

It was a Saturday, and he had had no photoshoots or modelling ads scheduled, for once. He had met up with Ladybug last night, and she had smiled at him in such a shy, loving way that made his heart skip by the mere thought of it. His father had been in such an unusually benevolent mood, that he actually told him to go and spend the day with his friends. Which was where he was headed now, to Nino's place.

.

The sun was warm, the sky was clear, and by the cheerful expressions on the passer-by's and tourists' faces, they evidently shared his own happy sentiments.

He stopped at the intersection, still humming the song he was singing earlier, when he caught a glimpse of a very familiar pink-clad visage just in his peripheral vision, and his smile grew wider.

He was on the verge of calling out the aspiring designer's name when a sudden thought made him pause.

.

With a grin, he sneaked up behind her and covered her eyes. "Guess who?" he said in a sing-song voice.

Marinette froze for a second, having being suddenly accosted, as it were, from behind. But then she recognized the voice, and she felt that familiar blush burn her cheeks and her heart skip a beat.

.

.

It was _him._

She smirked. Two could play at this game.

"Let me see, would you happen be, I don't know, a certain handsome person?" she said, acting as if deep in thought. Adrien's eyes widened in surprise at her sudden boldness, but he rose to the occasion immediately. "Very handsome." He replied, matching her teasing tone.

"And might you happen to have _blond_ hair?"

"How did you guess?" He smirked, she surely knew who he was by now. He waited for her to say his name, but she never did.

"Oh, and are you extremely brave? Always ready to help others in need?" she prolonged her interrogation, and Adrien was starting to feel a bit confused now. "Of course, I am." He answered nonetheless.

.

"Oh my, Chat Noir, whatever are you doing here?" she said in a tone which feigned surprise, and for a moment, Adrien felt his mind go completely and utterly _blank._

 _._

 _._

"Err- What makes you think I'm Chat Noir?" he said, his voice not sounding normal even to his own ears. _What?!  
_

He let go of her as he spoke, and she turned around, smiling sweetly at him in a way that was both familiar but different, at the same time. "Am I wrong?" she said archly, raising her eyebrows and tilting her head to the side inquiringly.

He felt his breath catch in his throat. Denials and excuses immediately rose to the surface, but the knowing glint in her blue eyes made him pause. _Wait, what's going on?_

"After all," she continued as the traffic light turned red, grabbing his hand and pulling him across the street, "You were the one who rather recklessly detransformed in front of me, after all." She glanced sideways at him a little nervously then, trying to gauge his reaction.

.

Adrien snapped his head to hers so sharply that he nearly sprained his neck.

Marinette met his eyes fearlessly, but with a hint of shyness still lurking in their blue depths, and smiled. That smile which he had seen a thousand times, on the face of a girl who was amazing and beautiful...

...But _infinitely_ more so without the mask.

.

.

And there, right then, in the middle of the intersection, Adrien Agreste had the greatest revelation of his life. He stopped, numbly, just staring, mind refusing to process anything, senses deaf to the world, just _looking_ at _her._

He didn't care that horns were blaring and people yelling at them in irritation as Marinette- as _his lady-_ dragged his hand again and pulled him safely across to the opposite sidewalk. Completely overwhelmed with the sudden realization of the love of his life and his classmate being one and the same, all Adrien could do was _stare,_ as a myriad of thoughts, emotions and memories filled his head to point where it almost started to overheat.

.

Then Marinette laughed, a bit self-consciously, and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, exposing her shiny black earring. Adrien's eyes were drawn to it like a magnet. "Cat got your tongue?" she shyly asked, looking so sweet and vulnerable in that moment, and something inside Adrien bubbled up joyfully.

Adrien couldn't help it then. He laughed. A real, hearty, deep laugh, that came from the depths of his very being. He didn't even know what he was laughing at- her pun (omigosh _my lady_ just made a _pun!_ ) or the way that his hysterical laughter was helping him release some of the craziness he felt at this bizarre turn of events.

.

Because he had found his lady, and she was his Marinette and she was laughing along with him at her ridiculous pun.

"No," he managed to wheeze out a moment later, still chuckling, tears running down his cheeks. "The cat didn't. But the _ladybug_ did." He winked.

The blush that bloomed over her cheeks made his heart beat a little more faster and his love grow a lot more larger.

.

.

He led her into an alley near Nino's house, which the two had unknowingly and almost unconsciously found their way to.

The two faced each other with bated breath, each one waiting and hoping that the other would initiate something. Marinette looked up into his eyes shyly, and as cerulean blue met peridot green, Adrien felt the world tilt on its axis.

Finally, he couldn't take the suspense anymore and leaned down, holding her face tenderly in his hands and doing what he had only dreamed of doing for so long.

He kissed her, slow and sweet. They were still new yet to this. There was still so much that had to be talked over, ground rules to be decided upon, the future planned out, especially with regards to their alter-egos. Past experiences, memories, co-incidences- everything and anything had to be wondered upon.

.

But right now, in that moment, it was just him and her, Adrien and Marinette, who were reveling in what had been for so long just an unattainable fantasy, a hopeful but distant dream, a flight of fancy which they had never imagined could become real.

They kissed and kissed, not willing to let the other go even for a brief moment, as if afraid that when they did, this dream would surely end and take with it the joyful lightheadness and happy realization of having found each other at last.

.

But the moment, however sublime, had to end, and they were broken apart by Adrien's ringtone. It was Nino, impatiently wanting to know where he was and why he was taking so long.

Still breathless, Adrien whispered something in Marinette's ear, holding the phone away from his mouth. She nodded, smiling brightly, and he placed it back to his ear. "Yeah, I'm still there. I just wanted to ask you- is it fine if I bring my girlfriend?"

.

.

The way he said the word _girlfriend,_ with so much reverence and lightheaded happiness, made his heart as well as his new girlfriends' somersault. He grinned as Marinette blushed and smiled brightly, matching his own giddy expression. "Yeah, it's someone you know. I'll explain when I get there. Yeah. See you."

He cut the call and turned to Marinette, lovingly stroking a hand over her cheek. "Shall we go, my lady?"

"What are we going to tell Nino and Alya?"

"I'll just tell them that I found the love of my life."

"That makes two of us."

He waggled his eyebrows teasingly. "We think the same. I _knew_ we were meant to be together.

They looked at each other for a moment, then burst out laughing again, because the happiness of having found each other was surely something so great, of such a magnitude that could not be contained within themselves.

.

Marinette beamed up her boyfriend, unable to stop her face from smiling widely. "We are, kitty. We are."


End file.
